I have to confess that I scheduled a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year post to be scheduled for the relevant big day so I didn’t forget. But, as I kept thinking 2018 to myself in my mind so that I didn’t make a mistake as I was scheduling the post, the opposite happened and I actually set the year for 2019 thinking that was in fact the next year. So my resolution for this year is; learn how to work the calendar function on WordPress. I appologise for that.
Resolution completed! Apparently I just have to put the correct year, simple really. Obviously not for a doughnut like me though! So I had time off over the Christmas break and went back to work on the Tuesday as did most people and by the afternoon I had filtered out the emails and got myself back to where I needed to be – thinking that I needed a holiday and asking myself; just where did the time go?
For christmas my wife spoilt me rotten and bought me a vast array of lotions and potions for the cleaning and maintaining of the Mustang. The selection was taken from a list that I had made for her in order to pick something from it. As she didn’t know which one to get so she bought them all, as well as an Auto Finesse Crew Bag to fit them all in. I must say that the “Crew Bag” is like a black hole with handles, it has so much storage space and easily the best bag I have, and I have a few now, trust me.
I will be reviewing them once I get to use them on here under my “Car Detailing Reviews” menu above. However the biggest surprise was the fact that my better half had listened to a conversation I was having with some retailers here in the UK for a classic looking fire extinguisher. Not any old fire extinguisher, oh no. I wanted one that looked old school but also did the job without additional damage. CO2 extinguishers can freeze electrical components with thermal shock, powder gets everywhere and creates a huge mess, water you can’t use on flammable liquids etc. So over the later part of the year I had been doing my homework. The best seemed to be HalGuard which is made in the USA, unfortunately not readily available over here in the UK. If anybody knows any different can they please let me know? Some of the benefits of this fire extinguisher are; no thermal shock, liquified gas gets to hard to reach places, no mess, rechargeable, recommended by aviation and many motor sports governing bodies, five-year warranty, oh it also comes in chrome! Nobody in the UK stocks or makes anything similar that has such good ratings or looks remotely like it should be from the ’60s. In the end, due to costs, I had all but given up on the idea. My wife had other ideas and picked up where I left off and ordered one from the USA. Inevitably there were all sorts of issues trying to get it past our wonderful HMRC customs people who obviously had nothing better to do other than check on fire extinguishers, maybe the could concnetrate on illegal immigrants a bit more like the ones hiding in the back of lorries maybe? Anyway, import duty, standard charges, handling fees etc. were a joke which added significant costs to the item. They had it impounded for a couple of weeks before they eventually released it to my wife mid December, by which time she was starting to panic a little. But, she got it and all credit to her. Once I had opened it and I asked “how?” I was told all about the horror story and the customs episodes.
Between Christmas day and the New Year’s day I wanted to fit it. There are additional brackets you can buy like, roll over cage mounts, under seat, quick release flat mounting etc. I already had an idea where it was to go; in the footwell on the passenger side. I waited for a clear dry day and got my car out into the cold air where I started to look for the best place to mount the new (essential) accessory.
The extinguisher needed to be off the floor, but low enough for the fresh air vent door to be fully opened just under the dash. The kick panel is made of a fairly thick plastic and the bracket has lots of holes for various mounting positions. I decided to use them all in order to spread the weight of the extinguisher so the screws don’t pull out of the plastic or distort it. Using the larger slot I held the bracket in place while I finalised the position and made sure it was straight.
The Dremel was the tool of choice as it was small and neat in order to create a small pilot hole ready for the screws, two larger style ones at the top that are also polished which would be seen, the remaining screws were smaller headed ones also polished. Once the holes were marked up I could fit the bracket properly.
The extinguisher was put into place and the belt clamped up then I took a step back to admire a fire extinguisher that I think looks good and will do the job should I ever need it, which I hope I never will.
The car was cleaned up, the mat was put back down and then I polished the chrome extinguisher to remove any finger marks and refitted it. I think the look goes well with the car, it can be easily accessed, it’s easily seen from outside and I can relax a little when I’m out on the road now.
Something that I hadn’t considered which is an added bonus, it looks good when the interior lights come on too.
I hope you all had a good well-earned Christmas break and I hope you all have a prosperous New Year.
P.S. Another resolution: I must blog more regularly!
I never know what day it is so even attempting to know the year is beyond my comprehension!
Sometimes i know exactly what you mean.
Just now getting to your blog post, so, I would have to say that you are forgiven, bud!
Can’t wait to see your reviews on the products. Also, big, giant, high five to your wife for the fire extinguisher score. How amazing that she was willing to go through all of that so that you could get a good product.
Happy New Year, a couple weeks late!
Thank you, I feel a !ittle vindicated if not guilty still. I passed on the high five to the wife who accepted it graciously. Yep she is one of the best when it comes to presents. I have to ask for a list so I don’t go wrong when it comes to her gifts though.
Happy 2018, Mart!
Thank you Dana. 👍
Thank you for showing me something that I didn’t even know I want! >grin< Going to have to put some hints together for my birthday. Love the look of the chrome. I will have to find a place to mount it in my 40th Anniversary New Edge Mustang.
🤣 sorry about that! It looks good and is practical too. It would look good in any car to be honest.
Glad to see your post. Hope you have a wonderful 2018 showing the car.
Thanks Tim. 👍
Nice job with the extinguisher mount; I like it!
Thanks Richard. 👍
Great item re the Halguard………….must ask Repco if we have them in Australia yet.
Being a pedant, I’d prefer avoiding holes in my trim, and wonder if the Mustang allows any
chance of mounting the F~E~ on to the front of the Seat somewhere close to the bottom ?
Happy New Year.
________________________________
Bernie Valentini and Sons VICROADS, “BMW” VAG & VACC Certified “4R MOTORS” AUTOMOTIVE ENGINEERS Excellence in Service, Repairs and Spares Seaford….9786-8187…… South Frankston….9787-8042 24/7 mobile….04031-64031 web…..4R MOTORS.facebook.com.au email…….agrademechanic@hotmail.com
________________________________
Yep agreed with you and thanks for the commentd. The plastic kick panels are easy enough to get hold of and simple to replace should i ever need to. The fixings only go into the plastic and not the metal. I did think of under the seat, and an ideal place, but i like the loom of it and wanted to see it. I may change my mind one day.
It looks great! You are spoiled for sure! You got some quality stuff for sure from the Mrs. It’s so cold here…..I’m missing the warm weather riding in my mustang with the top down. Cheers to 2018 my friend!
Thank you, it’s our winter here and not got my car out for a drive for a couple of months now. Starting to get a bit grumpy over it. I am spoilt and I know it. How my wife remembers this stuff is beyond me. I have to ask for a list as I am the worlds worst for getting presents, I admit it. 😢
Reblogged this on Voices From The Garage and commented:
Nice article. The maintenance bundle is sweet. For me it’s a bit pricey, like the Griots products, but still way nice.
As for the fire extinguisher … a very intelligent add. I have been carrying one for almost 20 years. Any good street rodder should have one. Only instead of hard mounting it I have it in a small re-purposed toolbox with male velcro on the bottom. I can take it in whatever car I am driving at the time and it simply stays put wherever I sit it on the footwell or center hump carpeting. Within reach if I need it quick. my version of Grab-N-Go I have actually used it 3 times and never for my own car! The same toolbox has a med kit in it. Always there just not being obvious. Personally I am not a fan of the passenger footwell trim mount. Having to reach over quickly could be a problem. I have tried it and found it to be awkward but doable. I mounted the one in my 70 with industrial velcro straps in front of the driver seat using a seat rail mount. Not real hard to get to at all.
All that being said I like your work and keep it up! Have a great new year!
Thanks Bob, i totally get the reach thing. I cant mount it on the centre hump as i have the factory fitted centre console there. I could go for the seat option like you say, but it’s chrome and i thought its to good to partially cover up. As i am a little partial to a bit of chrome, its just something else i have to clean now. I’m sure I will get over it. Lol.
not a bad excuse – forgiven 🙂
Thanks. ROFL.